Mattg4321

You make a good point re the price of oil. I stand by my view that there is more there than the booked reserves though. We're kind of arguing over nothing though, as I think we're agreed that we shouldn't leave it in there whilst we import from abroad. Nor should we rely on it long term (decades ahead).

It’s old data, but backs up my point that oil has always been ‘running out’.

I don't agree with that analysis. I'm not an expert, but I do have some experience in the oil and gas sector. UK oil and gas production and to an even greater extent, exploration, has pretty much been taxed and regulated out of existence in the past 15-20 years (maybe more than that, but before my time). You can't book more reserves if you don't drill the wells. And it just hasn't been happening for a long long time now. I still keep in touch with people in the industry and they tell me (perhaps overoptimistically?) that it's out there, there's just the wrong environment in place to go looking for it/extract it. We were all told when we were at school that oil would run out in 20 years, or we're now at or very close to peak oil production. Both predictions have proven to be way way wide of the mark.

I didn't go to those lengths, but one thing I see on site time and again is builders using leftover roofing batten etc to create boxings/batten off walls etc etc. The stuff is usually soaked through with whatever chemical they use when it's tanalised, if not rainwater. Usually both. People thought I was a bit mad only using kiln dried timber for my internal bits. Yet... over a year later and not one crack or popped screw.

Certainly a possibility, but not usually if the timber is dry when you pick it out.

It is a nightmare especially at this time of year. Doesn't really help when you need large quantities, but that's the beauty of Wickes etc. You can stand there for as long as you like rooting through timber to find something straight and true.

That looks really nice. Where did you get your slabs from? Limestone?

In any authoritarian regime, there's always People Who Know Best, who everyone else have to obey. What if it isn't you though? The way we are chasing net zero IS currently to our economic detriment. We need to focus on what IS the cheapest way to generate the energy we need to grow our economy and remain competitive in the world. If we do not, then we'll see more of the same that the last 20 years has given us... falling living standards which leads to all sorts of problems including the social unrest we're seeing. PV and wind can be part of that, but we shouldn't be shutting down or underutilising gas fired power stations where the capital cost has already been paid. It's madness. Look at the costs to generate with gas around page 33 in the link below. They've included 'carbon' as a cost. This is just a tax that could be removed tomorrow and skews the figures. It's just disingenuous presenting the information like that. Anybody can see that a well utilised gas power station can be cheap to run. Especially if those taxes are removed and the capital cost is paid. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/696697d19d9b9da37c04c2e4/electricity-generation-costs-report-2025.pdf There's also the issue of baseload. Another reason to keep the gas generation, and indeed build more for the medium term, until we can come up with something else. If we want to keep the cost down, we could extract the mountains of gas we have in the North Sea and under our feet in shale formations that we are stupidly leaving in the ground, whilst importing from elsewhere. Just to 'look green'. Actually lowering energy costs significantly is not only possible, but would be the best way to raise living standards. Don't destroy economically viable generation. Do drill for oil and gas so we are again self sufficient in fossil fuels - what's the point in importing it?? Do build as much renewable generation as we can, only in the places that can utilise it without turning off baseload generation, that will only need to be kept on standby at great cost.

I understand why you did this, as I also did the same. That insulated board is impossible to detail properly in my opinion. I fixed it slightly differently to you though. I didn’t stick the PIR. I fixed through 18mm thick battens (then through the PIR) into the blockwork and then screwed plasterboard to the battens.

Why didnt you use plasterboard that comes already attached to the PIR out of interest? I'm not sure there's any approved method of using mechanical fixings into masonry to fix plasterboard.

Lap, rhymes with cr.. Probably the worst, least reliable accessories I've ever come across. You won't have any problems with Click Mode

In that case worth looking at something like octopus cosy as there are multiple cheap rates during each 24h period. As you say though, it’s worth weighing up whether it’s best to not worry about the very coldest of days.

Currently most cost effective to have a battery big enough to see you through 24 hours in the winter when there is little generation. Charge it overnight to 100% at cheap rate then export any excess solar at higher unit price than you buy in for overnight. If you think you’re saving the planet by using maximum amount of generation on site, then that changes things.

Rightly or wrongly, I think if you employed 10 different firms to do this work, then you would get it installed in this way 10 times (hopefully with better sealing - there shouldn’t be any draughts!). If the opening isn’t properly prepared, that’s on you. Of course, a great company would survey and suggest improvements before going ahead, but most of these guys don’t really understand this sort of thing. It’s for the customer/architect to spec. These guys just know how to fit windows and doors so they are properly sealed and don’t let draughts or water in and open and close smoothly. Anything beyond that is highly unlikely. Do you have condensation build up elsewhere in the house? Does sound like this room is probably colder than the rest of the house - reading between the lines? Do you have any mechanical ventilation? Intermittent or continuous?

If going for PVC box, then don't fit a surface pattress as it's not only the wrong size (the socket face won't overlap the edges). It doesn't have an adjustable lug. I use these sometimes where walls are very slightly damp in old houses and eventually rot out the metal boxes. No such problem with these. Probably have to order in, nobody keeps them in stock round here at least. https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/1063228-2-gang-35mm-pvc-flush-pattress-box-round-corners-with-20mm-conduit-ko-white?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23051364679&gbraid=0AAAAADOkMAZCou3JXOW_WiNJ2r4F_Fg3c&gclid=Cj0KCQiA9OnJBhD-ARIsAPV51xNG2MYKTdf6T2rR14bNj17wnkbY5gyAYeFQLZOSGdyOnJgqzd1ZN0UaAoK4EALw_wcB

If you’re worried about noise/interference then surely CY is the choice over SY

It turns out that the top cap is for manual bleeding and the side is for automatic. It’s why I don’t trust ChatGPT.

Thanks. Was that an AI answer, or from your own experience? Ive been testing out ChatGPT recently and found it’s not to be trusted. Confidently states things as fact, which turn out to be nonsense. It has its uses, but it’s basically a more advanced search engine imo. AI in the literal sense it is not

I’ve not come across these AAV’s with 2 caps before. Usually just the one. Can anyone explain the function of both? cheers

Good point! Best to run separate in this case in my opinion. Much more cost effective!

Why would you want 10Gbit to an EV charger anyway? It’s only ever going to be using a tiny amount of data. As above. 2 pairs for data, leaving 2 pairs for CT clamps if needed.

Moisture can migrate through plaster. You’ll need a VCL of some sort.

gapotape looks great. expensive though. Needs foaming in at very least imo. Airtight.

Update: I bought the Zehnder attenuated manifold a few weeks ago and fitted it, with great difficulty. An absolute pig. I was even less happy when I turned it on and it had made absolutely zero difference. A few hundred quid and half a day down the drain unfortunately. However, there is a happy ending eventually, as today I fitted 2 of the flexible silencers @Jolo suggested, near to the terminal in the main bedroom. I used 80mm as they fitted fairly well directly over the 75mm ducting I have. It appears @Jolo has 90mm ducting? Result, I can't hear any noise whatsoever from main bedroom terminal even with my ear to it! A dramatic improvement. Tested the airflow and it hasn't reduced whatsoever. Thank you @Jolo. The only baffling thing is why the semi rigid ducting itself has caused this effect on both our systems. Mine is fixed well every 600mm, no sharp bends. I have 75mm, Jolo has 90mm. I have Quiet Vent ducting, he has Ubbink. I'm surprised more people don't have this problem? Or maybe they just put up with it?

V-tuf mini is decent, and it’s M class, so site compliant